Patent GB-1361451-A (GB)
Title: Cable tie
IPC: F16L3/233
Filed: 1971-06-18
Abstract: 1361451 Cable ties PANDUIT CORP 18 June 1971 [25 Aug 1970] 28837/71 Heading E2B An integral one-piece cable tie 100 adapted to be tensioned about a bundle of wires 190, comprises an elongated flexible strap 101, a row of abutments 115 disposed on one longitudinal surface 112 of said strap and arranged transversely with respect thereto, a frame 130 integral with one end of the strap and including a rear wall 141 and an abutment wall 151, the frame having an entry surface 112 and an exit surface 140 and a strap-receiving opening 150 extending therethrough, a pawl 170 disposed within the frame in the strap-receiving opening and having a rear wall 174 disposed toward the frame rear wall, a hinge 171 interconnecting the frame and the end of the pawl disposed toward the surface 112, the pawl being shiftable between an as-molded position, Fig. 8, disposed away from the abutment wall and a strap-locking position and an ultimate-load position disposed toward the abutment wall, Fig. 11, the latter having a strap-bearing surface 154 disposed toward the pawl, at least one abutment 180 on the pawl arranged transversely with respect thereto and disposed toward the abutment wall 'and shaped to engage the abutments 115 on the strap, and a stop member 185 on the pawl extending toward the surface 112 and spaced from the frame in the as-molded position of the pawl and abutting against the frame in the ultimateload position of the pawl. In the as-molded position of the pawl the distance between the stop member and the frame is substantially equal to the distance between the portion of the rear wall of the pawl adjacent said hinge and the rear wall of the frame, the strap being deformable into a loop capable of encircling a bundle of wires with the free end 103 of the strap extending into the strap-receiving opening in the frame and therebeyond, the row of abutments 115 being disposed toward the pawl as the strap is brought to a tensioned condition, release of the strap causing at least one of the strap abutments firmly to engage the pawl abutment or abutments 175, 180 and to shift the pawl to the strap-locking position thereof, any force tending to withdraw the strap from within the strap-receiving opening in a strapwithdrawal direction serving to move the engaged ones of the strap abutments into more firm engagement with the pawl abutment or abutments firmly to grip the strap between the strap-bearing surface and the pawl; application of a force to the strap in a strap-withdrawal direction sufficient to shift the pawl to the ultimate-load position thereof moves the stop member 185 against the frame, Fig. 11, and moves the said portion of the rear wall of the pawl against the rear wall of the frame, whereby to prevent inadvertent withdrawal of the strap from the frame and thus to fasten the strap. As shown, the tie is moulded in one piece from a synthetic resin, e.g. a polyamide, and includes teeth 115 disposed between ridges 120, the free end of the strap being provided with serrations 105 and extending downwardly as seen in Fig. 2. The lower tooth 175 of the pawl extends closer to the surface 154 of the wall 151 and the pawl is formed with a semicylindrical rear surface 174 which is disposed toward the rounded surface 142 of the wall 141, and on either side of the pawl are rails 135 which guide the strap through the frame 130, the upper guide surfaces 138 being set back from the lower guide surfaces 136; webs connect the pawl to the sides of the frame. The pawl may be provided with an anti-rotation member 165 which contacts the strap, Fig. 11, in the ultimate load position of the pawl to limit shifting and rotation of the pawl, and a release tab extending beyond the frame for manual release of the tie after tensioning thereof about a bundle of wires. In a modification, the strap portion 110 of the tie is straight and the ridges 120 terminate short of the free end 103.